How To Give Cat Massages Correctly

In recent years, veterinary medicine has begun to recognize massage as more than just a relaxation technique. The contact between body and hands is indicated as an excellent tool for the prevention and treatment of countless physical and emotional ailments. To help you improve your pet’s quality of life, in this article we have decided to summarize some useful tips for giving cat massages correctly.

The benefits of giving cat massages

As we have anticipated, massages are considered as a therapeutic method, non-invasive, very effective for humans, wild and domestic animals. They are usually indicated to relieve pain, anxiety and stress caused by various diseases, as well as being considered the best alternative to convey comfort and well-being.

Below we see together the main therapeutic applications that massages can have:

• They reduce the anxiety and stress of everyday life.
• They allow to treat and prevent musculoskeletal diseases, such as arthritis, osteoarthritis and dysplasia.
• They provide well-being and pain relief in elderly or terminally ill animals.
• They fight the negative effects of disorders in the digestive, renal and hepatic tracts.
• They promote lymphatic drainage and stimulate the immune system.
• Behavioral problems as well as emotional disturbances improve.
• They help in weight management and fight diseases associated with obesity.

5 tips to massage your cat easily without risk

The massage, an opportunity to dedicate time to your cat

Your days, of course, are so full of responsibilities and commitments that, at times, it is normal to forget to spend time with your four-legged friend.

If you have a cat at home, you will surely feel the responsibility of being with him, worrying about his relaxation and well-being. Thanks to the massage, you will have an excellent excuse to spend more time together. How do you massage a cat right? The first step to massaging your little friend well is to dedicate some time to him to be able to concentrate properly on this activity and enjoy it without anxiety. In addition to guaranteeing the quality of the massages, this mental predisposition will help you to improve the bond of trust that exists between each owner and his pet.

How long should a good massage last? The times depend on each animal and also on the experience of the person who performs the massages. If this is your first time trying to relax and massage your little feline, we recommend that you spend at least 20 to 30 minutes. A slightly more experienced owner will be able to perform the entire procedure in less time, for example from 10 to 15 minutes.

Prepare your cat before the massage

Massaging your cat requires patience, skill and planning. The effectiveness of this therapeutic and relaxing technique is not based solely on the use or the mere position of the hands and their respective movements. Its functionality also depends on the context, the favorable environment and the animal’s mood.

If you act superficially, without attention and without first preparing the animal, the results could be partial or even opposite. The risk is to cause a lot of stress and discomfort to your pet. Providing a calm environment and reassuring the cat before massages is essential to ensure its beneficial effects.

The first thing to do is to have a comfortable surface ready, on which the cat can sit and feel safe. A pillow, dog bed, mattress, or blanket are the best options.

Once you have prepared this ‘bed’ for feline massages, you will have to help your four-legged friend to relax, before starting the actual massage. To do this, we suggest you talk to him, using a calm and slow tone, or even hum or just keep him company until he seems willing to cuddle.

Choose the area to perform the massage

Each cat has a favorite area of the body on which they love to be stroked. It is precisely from this point that you will have to start the first massages. The animal will gladly accept the contact and pressure of your hands and, of course, will gradually allow you to move and then act on the remaining parts of its fur.

Most felines love to be massaged behind the ears or under the chin, but each owner certainly knows their pet better than anyone else. When you have identified the ideal area, you will have to start with soft and slow strokes so as not to stress the animal.

How to place and use your hands

Many people believe that in order to provide a smoother external massage, it is necessary to use the fingertips. Unfortunately, however, this is wrong information and, indeed, the risk is to cause stress and discomfort when applied to dogs and cats.

The fingertips are indicated for stimulating more sensitive regions, such as the head and face. To massage your cat’s body, we recommend that you use your whole hand. This way, you can apply controlled pressure, especially when massaging the pet’s belly and back.

Check for cat reactions

When you decide to give an animal a massage, it is essential to pay attention to any reactions that can often arise unexpectedly. Since pets cannot tell you directly what they like and what bothers them, you will have to interpret movements and gestures in order to understand any discomfort.

If your cat tries to get up or get rid of the pressure from your hands, she probably doesn’t want to get massages. Do not insist: the advice is to let some time pass and repeat the operation when you notice the calmer cat. Conversely, if he squints, licks or purrs at you, it means that he is very much enjoying the caresses he is receiving.

It is evident that, if your cat attacks you, scratching or biting your fingers and hands with force, in a different way than when he plays, there is something that disturbs him. Perhaps you are exerting too much pressure or you have touched a sensitive area that the animal does not like being touched. Immediately end the massage and, as mentioned earlier, postpone it to another time.

Giving your cat a massage is not only good for her health. At the same time it will allow you to spend some intimate time with him and, by doing so, you can both relax. Of course, it must be done gently and only when the animal shows that it wants to.